Next Electric Avenue Show with Chris Murray, The Ladrones, Rude Boy George (11/16/13)!

Rude Boy George--the band I'm privileged to be part of--does ska and reggae covers of New Wave classics and we're continuing our fall residency at Electric Avenue and should have some totally awesome new covers in our set (the crowd at our last show went crazy for our just unleashed versions of Berlin's "Metro" and Talking Heads' "Psycho Killer"!). To paraphrase Johnny Slash, "Ska-punk? No way. We're new wave ska. Totally different head. Totally!" (the relevant video clip you want is around the three minute mark here). We're fun. Come see us.

The Ladrones ("thieves" in Spanish) are a super-tight, horn-heavy NYC band with a brand new digital album full of anthemic, sing-along ska-punk tunes called Bestias del Chaos (available through their Bandcamp page). We've heard nothing but great things about their electric live show. Bring your ear plugs and be ready to dance.

I had the honor to work with Chris Murray back in the 1990s, both when he was a member of the incredible King Apparatus (their 1991 debut album is an early 3rd Wave ska classic--read my appreciation of it here--it should be in everyone's collection) and then when he struck out on his own as a one man ska band (his 1996 debut, lo-fi solo album, The 4-Track Adventures, highlights Murray's prodigious songwriting skills, which are presented in all their stripped-down-to-the-bone glory; it took a lot of lobbying Bucket to put this one out, but I'm so glad he did). Chris has released a slew of solo records since then (4-Trackaganza!, Raw, Slackness, Yard Sale), plus one with The Chris Murray Combo (Why So Rude). This is a very rare New York City appearance for Chris Murray, so definitely make sure to come out and see his fantastic acoustic set (which, by the way, will be the second ska acoustic Electric Avenue has presented, following Roddy Radiation's and Lynval Golding's performance over the summer).

The Duff Guide to Ska Album, Single, Book, and Gig Reviews!

Visit The Duff Guide to Ska Video Channel!

Check out The Duff Guide to Ska Video Channel for footage of ska bands in action in clubs around NYC, as well as unusual and rare ska videos from the 90s! Bands featured include The Toasters, The Bluebeats, The Forthrights, Across the Aisle, The Caroloregians, The Moon Invaders, The Rudie Crew, Tip the Van, Hey Stranger, Beat Brigade, Bigger Thomas, King Chango, The Scofflaws, UB40, The Hard Times, Jah Love and the Valentinians, The Shifters, Rudies Don't Care, Big Audio Dynamite, Stranger Cole and Patsy with Crazy Baldhead, Queen P of Ocean 11, King Hammond, The Snails, King Django, Doomsday! The Ultimate Tribute to Mephiskapheles Consisting of Former Members of Mephiskapheles, Destroy Babylon, The Frightnrs, The Pandemics, Los Skarroneros, The Bullbuckers, The Scofflaws, The Reggay Lords, The Copacetics, Rude Boy George, Dave Hillyard and the Rocksteady 7, Tokyo Ska Paradise Orchestra, The Specials, Roddy Radiation and Lynval Golding, The Ladrones, Chris Murray, and more!

Enough About Me

"Ska--the last refuge of rebels, scoundrels, and the unemployable."

"An era of information/When no one seems to know what's going on..." -- "F.A.N." by New Young Pony Club

Steve from Moon--who am I?For most of the 1990s, I was the promotions, marketing, production guy for Moon Records (RIP). It was one of the best jobs I ever had. Seriously, I miss it badly. During 1999/2000, I ran 7 Wonders of the World Music, the first digital download-only ska label (that was too ahead of the curve for its own good; RIP).

I also put together these compilations for Moon: the first three Skarmageddons; Ska United: A Global Ska Sampler; Skank Down Under; This Are Moon Ska I, II, and III; and Moonshot!

Here's an old interview with Adam Coozer from Read Magazine that covers my days at Moon and 7 Wonders.

Duff means worthless.

I'm blogging from Gotham City, USA.

If you have a ska or reggae release that you'd like me to consider reviewing, please send an e-mail to Steve at duffguidetoska@gmail.com. You should know that we I am old school and prefer music in tangible formats (plus I might use your music when I DJ ska events). I'd also appreciate any news or tips you may have about bands.

All reviews and interviews posted on The Duff Guide to Ska are copyrighted and are the sole property of Steve from Moon. Please contact me for permission to reproduce anything on this blog.

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Show us the love by visiting The Official Duff Guide to Ska shop, where you can purchase men's, women's, and kid's t-shirts proudly sporting the official Duff Guide to Ska Bat guano logo! Plus, you'll find Duff Guide to Ska trucker hats and beer steins (we tried to do stamps, but we were denied!). As King Apparatus used to sing, Buy our stuff--make us rich!